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Ghalenoi hopes disruption does not impact his teamThe Iran striker Mehdi Taremi has said the controversy and disruption surrounding their involvement at the World Cup undermines Fifa’s message of peace and conceded he felt the tension before arriving in Los Angeles on the eve of their opener, hours before a peace deal was announced. For the first time since the competition’s inception, a host nation has received a country with which it is at war.On Sunday Iran flew to LA from Tijuana, Mexico, where they were relocated amid an ongoing row over visas, but are expected to face opposition from Iranians, many of whom believe the national team do not represent the country. Iran has been beset by problems in the buildup to the tournament, with several officials denied entry to the US.“This kind of tension undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is about football and bringing about peace,” said the Olympiakos forward Taremi. “I think this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has and I hope in the future it will be better for all fans, whoever they are supporting.“It’s not just Iran that has been impacted, others have been impacted, including referees [the Somali official Omar Artan was denied entry]. I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup. Of course, we don’t have the same beautiful experience we usually talk about – peace and joy. I know several countries had visa problems and changing of training camps. The tension exists – it did before the World Cup even started. The feeling, the sensation people always have looking forward to a World Cup, I think this time they hadn’t had the same feeling.”Taremi and his teammates touched down in LA after their plane’s second attempt at landing. On arrival at their team hotel in Manhattan Beach, they were greeted by some Iranian protestors, most of whom are part of the 375,000-strong Iranian population in California, the largest outside of Iran, as well as a heavy police and security presence, including drones, mobile surveillance and sniffer dogs. A western area of LA centred on Westwood is nicknamed “Tehrangeles” owing to the huge Iranian diaspora. “Iran will be playing as locals in Los Angeles, in spite of it all,” said Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoi.About 35,000 Iran supporters are expected for their Group G opener against New Zealand and several are expected to protest against the team before the game. “We are here to play football and we are here to represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside of Iran or the diaspora,” said Ghalenoi. “We are only thinking about our country. We’re not political people and the slogan of Fifa is this, that football is separate from politics. We respect each and every one of the Iranians.”Ghalenoi conceded the convoluted travel has impacted their preparations. “We were supposed to start training earlier, but, look, we arrived late and we didn’t have enough time to adjust, of course that will affect us,” he said. “I know my players are determined to do their utmost. I hope the World Cup will go well despite the travel problems we’ve had … I hope it will not affect the quality of our play.”Iran reportedly passed through customs without issue but arrived about 20 minutes late for their pre-match press conference at So-Fi Stadium. “It wasn’t our fault,” Taremi said. “The players of the national team play for every Iranian … People have different opinions but we are here as footballers to unite people and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live. Everyone can have their own opinion. We are not here to get involved in politics, we are here to play football.”Ghalenoi was also asked about the absence of Sardar Azmoun amid reports of a perceived act of disloyalty to the government. Azmoun, who plays in the United Arab Emirates, is reported to have angered his government by posting a photo of himself with the UAE ruler Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. Facilities in the UAE have been attacked by Iran during the conflict. “Serdar Azmoun is an excellent player and has done a lot for the national team, but he is not with us and we wish he was, but this is football, sorry,” Ghalenoi said.An issue facing Fifa is the possibility of supporters bringing flags displaying the country’s historical flag, featuring a lion and a sun, from before the Islamic revolution. The flag is banned from stadiums at the World Cup. A Fifa official shut down a question relating to the flag, saying it was not relevant to the game.

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The substitute Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute to give Côte d’Ivoire a 1-0 win over Ecuador in their ⁠Group E opener.Diallo’s first-time strike of Wilfried Singo’s cross gave the Ivorians their first World Cup victory over South American opposition and ⁠halted Ecuador’s unbeaten run ​at 19 matches.It also put a bow on a 19-year-old Yan Diomande’s dazzling performance as the Elephants pulled level on points with a Germany side ⁠that thumped Curacao 7-1 in their opener earlier in the day.The promising Ivorians – who have the youngest squad at this World Cup – looked to be running out of ideas ⁠before Singo found space surging up the right from his defensive post. His cross reached Diallo in stride, ​with the 23-year-old Manchester United player deftly guiding ‌it into the bottom left ‌corner to give the West Africans a dream start ‌to their first World Cup finals appearance since 2014.Ecuador’s best first-half chances came from Côte d’Ivoire’s casual defending. John Yeboah and Alan Minda struck the bar in the 23rd and 30th minutes, respectively.But it was Côte d’Ivoire who looked better in possession, with Diomande terrorizing Ecuador’s left side. In the 35th minute, he picked up the ball at midfield, beat Piero Hincapié down the line ‌and dragged a cross into the path of Nicolas Pépé’s late run to the penalty spot. Pépé tried to sneak a second touch to get on ​his favoured left foot, seeing his effort ultimately blocked.In first-half stoppage time, Singo nearly turned a spectacular bicycle kick on frame from Guéla Doué’s cross.Côte d’Ivoire started well after the break, but in the 68th minute, a well-struck effort from Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata forced Yahia Fofana into a comfortable save.Before that, it ⁠was more of Diomande. In the 52nd minute, his cross met Elye Wahi’s ​angling run, but Wahi’s first-time ​strike skimmed the crossbar. And moments after ​switching to the left flank following two Côte d’Ivoire changes in the 56th ​minute, he dribbled between Yeboah, ‌Alan Franco and ​Moises Caicedo on his ​way into the box before firing high.In a match played within driving distance of more than 600,000 Ecuadorian Americans estimated to live in New York and New Jersey, La Tricolor fans dominated the atmosphere but left disappointed.

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Daichi Kamada diverted in an 89th-minute equaliser for Japan as they twice levelled to secure a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in this Group F opener.Crysencio Summerville had looked to have won it when curling the ball beautifully into the far corner with his left foot but there was a twist in the tale in Arlington in a contest that really came to life in the second half after an uninspired opening 45 minutes.Virgil van Dijk headed Ronald Koeman's side in front from Ryan Gravenberch's cross soon after the interval but Keito Nakamura levelled things up within seven minutes when his shot deflected off the foot of Jan Paul Van Hecke and beyond Bart Verbruggen.Summerville, who only made his international debut earlier this month, was on course to be the hero but Kento Shiogai's header deflected off Kamada and Verbruggen could only parry into his own net. The Brighton goalkeeper should have done better.The same could be said of the two teams in what was an entertaining game that both will seek to learn from. Could Japan have been more positive from the outset? Should the Netherlands have pressed home their advantage? Both will expect to improve.Despite the loss of Kaoru Mitoma to injury, Japan are much-fancied at this World Cup having been in excellent form. They defeated Brazil in October and then beat England at Wembley in March. But they were a little fortunate to get the point here.It felt as if they needed to fall behind to be willing to go out and play, producing their best work only when the Netherlands were leading. More belief will be required if they are to achieve what many feel they are capable of achieving at this tournament.But there are lessons for Koeman and his team too after this. The Netherlands appeared in control prior to the decision to bring on a defender in Nathan Ake for a midfielder in Gravenberch in the 81st minute. It only succeeded in inviting pressure late on."I was more impressed with the Dutch tonight. Yes, they gave a couple of daft goals away and there were set pieces at the end. In the bigger picture, the Dutch looked decent but you cannot take anything away from Japan."I also give them credit for hanging in there. They will both take the draw and move on. But the Dutch were in control and I still think they will be more of a threat in the latter stages [of the tournament] than Japan."

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The top stories and transfer rumours from Monday's newspapers...Manchester United target Ederson will edge ever closer to his Old Trafford move with the midfielder set to undergo his medical whilst at the World Cup - Daily MirrorArsenal are in talks to sign Morocco's teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed in Saturday's Group C draw with Brazil - talkSPORTBayern Munich could allow left-back Alphonso Davies to leave this summer - ESPNEngland stars were put in lockdown as their World Cup hotel was battered by an electrical storm amid tornado alerts - The Sun

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The World Cup continues to produce the unexpected. On a throbbingly hot afternoon in the low flat plains outside Dallas the Netherlands and Japan played out a high-grade, ultimately thrilling Group F game, Daichi Kamada scoring an 89th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 just as the Dutch looked like taking an early hold on one of the tougher groups.Sport does love to spring surprises. As the entire bib-clad Japanese bench emptied on to the pitch to celebrate Kamada’s deflected goal, as the Japan fans writhed and roared and fell over themselves in the stands, it was tempting to wonder if perhaps the unthinkable is happening.There has been so much talk of tired players, format collapse and empty seats (the stadium was full here), a note of disaster-ism so committed you wondered at times if it was necessary to play the games at all. But football remains a strangely unbreakable product, no matter how energetically you might try.There is a reason this thing stands unchallenged as both the world’s most gripping spectator sport and its most reliable macro-distraction, the dictator’s Neuralyzer box, there to erase all those unhappy feelings with a single flash of blinding light. And it does feel as though something else has been taking place across a spunky opening week. Maybe – whisper it – the World Cup is actually good.This was a lovely spectacle from the start. The Dallas Stadium is a vast concrete spaceship dumped down off the freeway beyond the city limits. Inside, the swooping panelled glass roof gives it the feel of an outsized Victorian railway station, or a vast and humid mega-greenhouse, the kind of place a giant would grow his tomatoes.At kick-off the base colours were beautiful, warm royal blue versus deep zingy classic orange. Japan have been an excellent World Cup team in recent times. It felt significant afterwards that their coach, Hajime Moriyasu, was asked about his evident disappointment at only taking what he still described as a “very meaningful point”.“The Netherlands are a top-class international team,” he said. “Look at the Fifa rankings, there’s quite a difference. But we can look back at today’s match and learn from the Dutch and enhance our power.”Here Japan set up with attacking midfielders in the wing-back spots and the defensive three Moriyasu has tended to use since Qatar. Ronald Koeman had hinted that Memphis Depay might be fit, but Donyell Malen started in the centre of attack.And the Netherlands took the ball away early on. They really should have scored on three minutes as Malen produced a grappling turn and a powerful shot that was palmed away by Zion Suzuki. After that the game became a series of wary thrusts in between a steady holding pattern of carefully metered Dutch possession.Japan had some neat, high-pressing flurries. Frenkie de Jong was measured and stately on the ball, a footballer who always seems to be playing inside his own demilitarised zone.The hydration break arrived just as the game seemed as if it might start to congeal, although the day was enlivened at that point by the sudden appearance of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders on what is reportedly the world’s largest HD screen, the kind of spectacle the human brain struggles to process, literally a 150ft woman dancing with a pompon.The Dutch began to press. With 34 minutes gone Malen saw a close-in header direct from a corner batted away at ankle level by Suzuki. Japan had their own best chance just before half-time, a nice combination down the right leading to a cross and shot just wide from Keito Nakamura. But at the break the Dutch were on 67% possession with twice as many passes, controlling the tempo and geometry of the game.They took the lead five minutes into the second half, Virgil van Dijk producing a finely angled header that bounced in off the far post. At that point Japan looked flat, unable to sustain possession, trapped in their own half. But they found an immediate injection of urgency on the left flank, and it was from there that the equaliser came six minutes later. A smart fizzed combination of passes ended with Nakamura whipping a right-foot shot into the corner via a fine deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.The second hydration break took away Japan’s momentum. Given the stadium is air conditioned there was clearly no need for it, beyond the fact this is now advertising protocol. How much hydration does anyone need? How much money does football need? Here a cynical and unnecessary piece of tinkering materially shifted the flow of the game, purely so that someone could try to sell you some crisps.The Netherlands surged back, finding pockets of space between the lines as Japan struggled to re-condense. Crysencio Summerville made it 2-1 on 64 minutes, taking the ball from Ryan Gravenberch, gliding inside and curling a lovely left-foot shot into the far corner.Japan responded as they had to the first goal, forming a discussion circle in their own half even as the Dutch players were celebrating. The end was high drama, the equaliser created by a whipped left-wing corner.Group F looks wide open, and surely destined for some kind of as-things-stand late drama come the final round of games. Plus Dallas has passed its own first test as a high-functioning soccer stadium. For those who prefer their World Cup a little more sullen and sedate: England are here next.

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Previous imageNext imageSlide 1 of 6, The Daily Telegraph sports section, The Daily Telegraph sports sectionEnd of image galleryPublished36 minutes agoArsenal and Liverpool are keen on Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, Manchester City target a move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke to resolve future after World Cup amid Tottenham interest.Arsenal have started talks about signing 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who helped Morocco to a 1-1 draw with Brazil in his country's opening game of the 2026 World Cup. (Times - subscription required) , externalLiverpool are also in negotiations for Bouaddi, while Chelsea and Paris St-Germain have been monitoring the player who might cost at least £60m. (Talksport), externalBayern Munich's move for PSV Eindhoven's Morocco striker Ismael Saibari, 25, could be made more difficult with his high-profile goal against Brazil at the World Cup set to drive up his price. (Bild - in German), externalBrighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, 26, says he will resolve his club future following the World Cup after the Seagulls rejected two bids from Tottenham for the Netherlands international. (Sky Sports), externalManchester City have set their sights on Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, 23, as a replacement for the departing John Stones, 32, but the Toffees want £70m for the England defender. (Football Insider), externalRoma are set to make a £35m bid for England striker Mason Greenwood, 24, and include a sell-on clause which they hope will convince Marseille to agree to a deal. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), externalBrazil midfielder Ederson was scheduled to have a medical on Sunday as the 26-year-old closed in on completing his move to Manchester United from Atalanta. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), externalManchester United sacked manager Ruben Amorim in January and could make a significant saving on the £15.9m compensation package following his departure if the Portuguese takes over at AC Milan. (Mirror), externalArsenal and Liverpool chase Barcola - Sunday's gossipListen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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A joint statement was released on Sunday by several nations competing at the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada.The football associations of Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa have come together to "express their profound disappointment" at Ceferin.He had reportedly told a conference in Ljubljana, in his native Slovenia, the growth from 32 teams to 48 would lead to less attractive games in world football's showpiece event."We have a lot of matches that are completely uninteresting," Ceferin is reported to have said by a Slovenian news outlet, external."On the other hand, even small countries can participate and feel the pulse of the World Cup, which is a big thing,"But that has produced a backlash from some of the nations who have benefited following Fifa's decision to make this year's tournament bigger.Their statement read: "We respectfully but firmly reject these comments."For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match."For Cape Verde, Curacao and Uzbekistan, qualification for the Fifa World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realisation of a dream shared by generations."For nations such as Congo and Haiti, returning to football's biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment."To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and fails to recognise the efforts, sacrifices and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders and supporters across the world."This is the first time the World Cup has been expanded since it went from 24 teams to 32 back in 1998.The joint statement added: "Behind every qualification stand years of work and investment. Behind every national team stand entire communities and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope and unity."Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality."We believe every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team has earned its place on merit. Every supporter has the right to dream. Every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world."We therefore reject the Uefa president's comments and reaffirm our belief that the growth of football must continue to create opportunities, inspire new generations and strengthen the truly global nature of our game."Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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Former England manager Gareth Southgate says he turned down work as a pundit at the World Cup because he did not think it would be "helpful" to the side's chances.Southgate resigned from his position after England were defeated by Spain in the Euro 2024 final.The 55-year-old led England for 102 games over eight years, guiding them to the finals of two European Championships and the 2018 World Cup semi-final."It's obviously a very different tournament for me this one, I've been at the last seven World Cups as a player, as a broadcaster, a scout and then as the manager," Southgate said in a post on Instagram, external."So this time I took a conscious decision not to do the TV. I didn't think it would be helpful for me to be talking about the team and I don't want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them at press conferences, so best for me to keep out of the way."England's World Cup campaign begins on Wednesday (21:00 BST) when they take on Croatia in Arlington, Texas.They then have matches against Ghana on Tuesday, 23 June (21:00 BST) and Panama on Saturday, 27 June (22:00 BST).Sir Alf Ramsey, 1966 World Cup winner, is the only other manager to have guided England's men's team to a major tournament final.BBC Sport pundits choose England World Cup XIs - who would you pick?He said he believes England are "ready to win" a World Cup."Good luck to all the boys," Southgate said. "I know all the big knockout nights that we've had mean they are going to be full of confidence going into this tournament. They have overcome so many hurdles to winning - penalty shootouts, semi-finals, got so close - and they are ready to win."Hope everybody has a great month - and I'll be staying out of the way."Earlier this week, England midfielder Jude Bellingham said "expectation" played a part in the Three Lions' group not connecting "as well as it could" and that players "needed to feel loved" this summer.Of their Euro 2024 campaign, Bellingham said: "We had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar [for the 2022 World Cup], and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it."We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn't get the feeling you were as happy as you should be."In a new BBC documentary, Southgate addresses the crisis he feels boys and young men are facing, and explores what is shaping the attitudes and outlook of this generation.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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2 CommentsClement Turpin has been appointed referee for England's opening World Cup game against Croatia on Wednesday - and was once labelled a "Grade E" official by head coach Thomas Tuchel. The Frenchman showed then Bayern Munich boss Tuchel two yellow cards in the German club's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City in April 2023, sending him to the stands.In the second leg in Germany, Turpin produced five yellow cards in the first half and a straight red for Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano for a last-man challenge on Erling Haaland, but an offside call from the video assistant referee (VAR) reversed the decision.Bayern's 4-1 aggregate loss prompted Tuchel to criticise Turpin post-match, saying: "Two things couldn't keep up with the level - the pitch wasn't in good condition and also the referee, unfortunately, was Grade E."I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level."He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us."In the end, we were never in a position to turn things around with three men against us. That's a fact."England midfielder Jude Bellingham has also seen Turpin's no-nonsense approach first-hand.While playing for Real Madrid, Bellingham was pushed away from the penalty spot by Turpin while trying to put Bayern's Harry Kane off taking a penalty.Despite his run-ins with Tuchel and Bellingham, Turpin is regarded as one of Europe's best referees - taking charge of the 2021 Europa League final and 2022 Champions League final.Turpin was also selected to officiate at Euro 2024, where he took charge of England's 0-0 draw with Slovenia.Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor gameEverything you need to know about the World Cup